World War II Honoree

William Joseph Chambers

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Aliquippa, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Wife, Children & Grandchildren

ENLISTED IN THE NATIONAL GUARD AND WAS SOON SWITCHED TO ACTIVE DUTY IN THE U.S. ARMY. HE HAD HIGH TEST SCORES SO WAS SENT TO ATTEND OFFICERS CANDIDATE SCHOOL. AFTER HE GRADUATED AS A 2ND LIEUTENANT, HE WAS DEPLOYED TO ALASKA AND WAS PROMOTED TO 1ST LIEUTENANT PRIOR TO DEPLOYING TO ITALY. DURING THE WAR, HE DEPLOYED TO VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN ALASKA (ADAK, DUTCH HARBOR, AMCHITKA, UMNAK, SITKA) AND ITALY. HE WAS SENT TO FRANCE TO AWAIT DEPLOYMENT TO JAPAN WHEN THE WAR ENDED. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 209TH FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION, AND USED A M11OA2 HEAVY HOWITZER. HE HAD EXCELLENT MAP READING SKILLS AND WAS SHIPPED TO ITALY BY REQUEST OF HIS CAPTAIN. HE ONCE SAVED HIS UNIT FROM BEING TOTALLY LOST WITH HIS SKILLS OF DIRECTION.